Architecture

FALL IN LOVE WITH TRAVIS SCOTT’S HOUSE

Who doesn’t love looking at real estate? In all our HGTV dreams we never saw a house quite like the one that rapper Travis Scott just purchased for 23.5 million – and worth every penny. This deliciously modern home in Brentwood features 10,000 sq ft of outdoor space, including a fruit orchard, kaleidoscopic views – and just look at that pool! The 16,700 sq ft three story interior has 7 bedrooms, 11 baths, and don’t forget the 20 car garage. Travis, 28, shares a daughter with Kylie Jenner, but they are a couple no longer. Wonder who will occupy those seven bedrooms!

For a complete eyeful (bigger and better photos) of this spectacular residence, visit the Dirt section of Variety: https://www.dirt.com/entertainers/musicians/travis-scott-house-brentwood-1203325267/

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THE REAL REASON WHY KANYE WEST IS SELLING HIS MCMANSION

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Photo: Kim’s Instagram – North’s first birthday
We were RIGHT! We predicted that Kanye West would want to get rid of the Bel Air mcmansion he’s been renovating for the past year because he has realized how vulgar and ostentatious it is, and fears his fancy French friends will be appalled. Kanye has been socializing with artists and designers in Europe and learned a few things about taste and style over the past year. He noticed that many people online were making fun of his gaudy 11 million dollar house in Bel Air and no matter how many expensive renovations he had done, it was still an architectural nightmare. Now he wants to unload it and he’s using the excuses that Kim is tired of waiting for it to be finished or Kim suddenly wants to live closer to her mother. The truth is he’s embarrassed by the monstrosity and wants OUT.

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TAKE A WALK ON THE MOD SIDE

Time for a brief break from the sordid Hollywood stories. Modernism Week in Palm Springs is here again and we can hardly wait. Although we think Los Angeles has just as much fabulous mid-century architecture and design, it IS more concentrated in Palm Springs. If you love modernism, take a look at these videos hosted by Stephen Collins of Property Envy.
Video via: World of Wonder

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AZIZ ANSARI: PLEASE DON’T CHANGE A THING!

Parks and Recreation star Aziz Ansari is eager to move into the new home he purchased in Los Feliz Estates for 2.6 million . And what a home it is – a mid-century modern masterpiece by Buff and Hensman, built in 1969. We have our fingers crossed that Aziz appreciates the architecture and doesn’t change anything of significance. We can’t resist drooling over the photos. The black and white photo is original from 1969.

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KANYE WEST IS EMBARRASSED BY HIS MEGA-MANSION. AND HE SHOULD BE.

We are not at ALL surprised to learn that Kanye West is looking to build a new house and dump that architectural monstrosity in Bel Air hat he and Kim have been remodeling for a year. While he was in Paris for months during Kim’s pregnancy, he was introduced to an artistic crowd that values design and function. He learned a LOT about fashion, décor, and architecture, and it became very clear to him that that arty crowd would be horrified by the vulgar faux “Mediterranean” mega-mansion he was spending a fortune to upgrade. So now he and Kim are looking for property where he can build an architecturally significant house, more appropriate for a self described style innovator like himself.

Photo Credit: Pacific Coast News

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BRAD PITT HAS A THING FOR MARBLE BATHTUBS

#bradpitt #janetcharlton

Brad Pitt has long been obsessed with architecture and design, and he jumped at the chance to create his own line of modern furniture. Brad commissioned high-end furniture maker Frank Pollaro to make some things for his own home and they struck up a friendship. Frank saw Brad’s collection or sketches and suggested he create his own collection. Together they built around a dozen of Brad’s pieces to show in conjunction with Frank’s Art deco inspired furnishings on November 13 in New York. The prices will be high, but Brad points out that the designs might be recreated in more affordable materials in the future. Here’s a fun fact: Brad had an artisan working in his LA garage for many months creating a special had carved marble tub for his then wife Jennifer Aniston.
In the photo above, Brad and Frank brainstorm in the wine cellar of Brad’s home in France. Below are photos of the bed and marble bathtub for two that Brad designed.)
Photos via: Architectural Digest

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JENNIFER ANISTON WASN’T CRAZY WHEN SHE PRICED HER HOUSE AT 42 MILLION

Just a year ago, Jennifer Aniston’s Hal Leavitt designed 1970 architectural house appeared in Architectural Digest and she rhapsodized about how it was her dream house. We believed her! But three months ago she put the house on the market for 42 million dollars. (She paid $13,500,000 but invested millions to refurbish.) It seemed unrealistic considering the LA real estate market, but it’s already sold! The Real Estalker estimates that the orange county billionaire buyer, Bill Gross, paid between 35 and 37 million. Jen pocketed a handsome profit and is currently nesting with her boyfriend Justin Theroux in new York.

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ARCHITECT ELDON DAVIS: 1917 – 2011: HE DESIGNED OUR FAVORITE PLACES


Los Angeles celebrates the Googie style in coffee shops, and Eldon Davis, an architect who gave us many space age mid-century designs, has died at the age of 94. Architects Davis and Louis Armet opened a local firm in 1947 and pioneered in creating numerous delightful buildings that appeared to defy gravity – many of which have been destroyed. Davis is credited with popularizing what became known as coffee shop modern, and he felt free to take it to extremes because California was “open to new ideas.” Our favorite – Pann’s coffee shop built in 1958 in Inglewood, is a prime example of his work and has been lovingly preserved. You’ve seen it in countless movies. And the food is really good too.

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JENNIFER ANISTON GIVES CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

Another reason to like Jennifer Aniston. Her incredibly restored 1970 home appeared in the March issue of Architectural Digest and this intrusion of privacy was NOT something she HAD to do. (Of course, it IS kind of fun to show Brad Pitt how far she’s come.) The photos are SO amazing they brought tears to our eyes – glass walls open to the outdoors. Jennifer worked with interior designer Stephen Shadley and she generously opened her home to the magazine so he and his craftsmen who SLAVED to restore the place, could show off their work. This publicity will do THEM a lot of good – she certainly didn’t need it.

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MODERNIST JULIUS SHULMAN AND HIS “VISUAL ACOUSTICS”

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We who love modernism already worship the work of Julius Shulman, and this documentary “Visual Acoustics,” will make it clear why his photography is worthy of such adoration. His architectural photos were responsible for creating the image of the “California lifestyle” in the 50’s and 60’s. (Isn’t that why many of us moved here?) Shulman just died last July at the age of 98 and was working until the end. He was a fascinating and outspoken personality who “discovered” many of the famous architects renowned today. Shulman was so devoted to the optimistic ideals of modernism that during the 1970’s when gussied up “post modernism” appeared, he announced his retirement. He lived long enough to see a bountiful resurgence in the appreciation of modernism, and his work in particular. The architecture around us all, does indeed, shape our lives. You’ll walk out of this documentary knowing exactly what “Visual Acoustics” are.

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